Ukraine says eastern defences holding amid Russian raids and deadly air strikes

Ukraine reported continued heavy fighting in its eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions after Russian shelling killed at least nine civilians and injured more than 20 in three provinces.

“The number of attacks and shelling has increased significantly in all directions, and now they are even bringing in aviation,” Serhiy Haidai, governor of the partly occupied Luhansk region, said of the situation there on Friday.

He said the biggest battles were taking place around the town of Kreminna, which Russian forces seized after launching their full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24th last year.

“The invaders are now throwing all their efforts there, they are constantly trying to break through our defences and are pitching in their heavy weaponry… But no matter how difficult the situation is today, it is absolutely under control in all directions,” he added.

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Intense fighting continued further south around the towns of Bakhmut and Vuhledar in Donetsk region, which Ukraine says the Kremlin wants to capture before the anniversary of the invasion following months of only minor gains and major casualties for Russia’s military.

“Russian forces do not appear to be quickening their rate of advance around Bakhmut and are unlikely to meet this reported February 24th goal,” the US-based Institute for the Study of War said in its daily analytical report.

“Ukrainian forces could always decide that the costs associated with holding Bakhmut are too high and voluntarily withdraw from the city, although Ukrainian forces and leaders continue to indicate that they intend to hold the city,” it added.

“The Kremlin may launch another series of missile strikes on civilian targets throughout Ukraine to mark the symbolic anniversary as actual military success continues to evade the Russian military.”

Air raid sirens sounded several times on Friday across Ukraine, as Moscow continues its campaign of strikes with missiles and explosive drones, and also what Kyiv says is an attempt to find weaknesses in Ukrainian defences ahead of a probable wave of attacks on or around February 24th.

Officials said on Friday morning that Russian shelling over the previous 24 hours had killed five civilians in Bakhmut and injured 10 there and elsewhere in Donetsk region; that three people had been killed and seven wounded by Russian strikes on the southeastern Kherson region, and that missile strikes on Kharkiv region had killed one person and injured six.

Despite Russia targeting Ukraine’s power infrastructure with missile attacks again on Thursday, state energy firm Ukrenergo said on Friday that there had been “no power deficit in the energy system for the entire working week and none is currently forecast. Power plants are producing enough electricity to cover current consumption”.

With spring approaching after a winter of missile attacks and frequent blackouts, Ukraine says its energy system is stabilising due to falling demand, work by repair crews, and power equipment and air defence systems sent by allies.

“For nearly a week there have been no power outages across Ukraine. Four months of terror, thousands of missiles and drones, Russia has spent billions of dollars but is losing again, unable to break Ukraine on the energy front,” said Ukrainian prime minister Denys Shmyhal. “However, the attacks do not stop. It is too early to relax.”

Moscow says arms supplies to Kyiv will only prolong fighting, increase the number of casualties and cannot possibly lead to Ukraine winning the war.

“Now the American warmongers have gone even further: they incite the Kyiv regime to further escalate the war,” said Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova, after senior US state department official Victoria Nuland said Ukraine would be justified in striking Russian military targets in Crimea, which the Kremlin annexed in 2014.